THE HUNTING EXPERIENCE

DEER HUNTING

It is no secret that Iowa is the place to come for monster bucks.  We are fortunate to have a lot of quality bucks and a large deer herd in our area.  The chance to shoot a world class buck on your stay at Southwest Iowa Outfitters will be very high.  We scout year round and have many tree stands set up in strategic locations throughout our properties.  We do all the scouting from scouting deer activity, setting trail cameras, and looking for shed antlers.  We also plant many food plots throughout our properties to promote deer health and to help attract the big bucks into shooting range.  We plant clover for early season and turnips for the late season, not including the many corn/soybean crop fields on our properties that deer and turkey love.  We try to promote shooting mature bucks that are at least 4 1/2 years old and also promote doe management.  See pictures below and hunting photos to see some of the deer in our area.  

***NOTE THAT ALL OUT OF STATE HUNTERS MUST APPLY FOR DEER OR TURKEY LICENSES!!!  FOR INFO ON AN APPLICATION GO TO www.iowadnr.com

TRAIL CAMERAS AND SHED HORN HUNTING ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE SCOUTING PROCESS.  OUR GOAL IS TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE YOUR HUNT AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.  CHECK OUT THESE PICTURES!  (TO SEE MORE GAME CAMERA PHOTOS AND SHED ANTLERS THAT WE FOUND CLICK HERE)

A 190 class non-typical posing for the camera.	This is a trail cam picture of Dave's 151 inch bow kill.  This deer will be on Bow Madness September 2nd
A look at some of our property.	A good look at what our terrain is like.  We have a good mix of row crop fields, smaller blocks of timber, and timbered ditches.
2 Really nice bucks moving through at night.  Notice that the tree stand is right there!!!	Where's Waldo?  Can you find all five bucks in this picture.
Another picture of the 5 bucks only 10 yards from the tree stand that you might get to hunt!	I guess you could say that these guys are not camera shy.
Here is an up close shot of a nice mainframe 8 pointer with 2 non typical points splitting off of his g 3's.	Here is the same buck as he is getting a little bigger as the summer goes on.
Smile!	A young tall 9 pointer at another location. This camera is also right next to a tree stand.  We believe heavily in scouting with trail cameras.
This is a look at our tower stands.  Our blinds are 5 sided and are fully equipped with heaters and comfortable chairs.  These blinds will accommodate 2 people comfortably.  They will work for bow hunters, gun hunters, and can be great for turkey hunting as well.	A huge rub on one of our properties.  Any deer can make a small rub but only big bucks can rub a tree like this one.

(TO SEE MORE GAME CAMERA PHOTOS AND SHED HORNS GO TO HUNTING PHOTOS PAGE 4!!!)

TURKEY HUNTING

Iowa is not only known for having big bucks, it is also known for having big turkeys.  The heaviest eastern wild turkey weighed just under 36 lbs and was killed in Southwest Iowa only about 40 minutes away from our lodge!  The biggest turkey that we have taken weighed just over 27 lbs.  Beards over 12 inches and spurs up to 2 inches are also not uncommon in southwest Iowa.  We scout birds extensively in the fall and spring and know their roost spots and where they are going to feed and/or strut.  We also plant food plots for turkeys.  We plant clover and chufa on our turkey properties that the toms love to strut in and use as a food source.  All that you have to do is sit where we tell you to go and shoot your bird.  See pictures of some turkeys taken in our area in hunting photos.

***NOTE THAT ALL OUT OF STATE HUNTERS MUST APPLY FOR DEER OR TURKEY LICENSES!!!  FOR INFO ON AN APPLICATION GO TO www.iowadnr.com

WATERFOWL HUNTING

When people think of hunting waterfowl they usually think of Canada or Arkansas.  However, from personal experience we think that Iowa is one of the greatest places to hunt ducks and geese.  We are located in the Mississippi flyway with a lot of ducks, snow geese, canada geese, and some specks moving through.  We also have a lot of local canada geese in our area that decoy easily.  We have a lot of farm ponds with blinds on them.  We also have a private wetland that is located only 4 miles away from a waterfowl/wildlife refuge area.  This wetland includes a flooded cornfield with 2 roomy pit blinds.  This wetland also has a generator that is connected to aerators located in the water in front of the blind so the water never freezes up around the decoys.  (see pics of wetland below)  We also have access to a 700 acre public hunting lake.  This lake has about 40 acres of flooded timber that is outstanding for duck hunting.  (see pictures below) We have kennels ready for your retrievers to stay in if you choose to bring them along.  We will take you where the birds are.  (We are now offering snow goose hunts in Missouri and Iowa.)

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE FLOODED TIMBER THAT HAS SOME INCREDIBLE DUCK HUNTING.  AND BELOW PICTURES OF OUR PRIVATE DUCK MARSH.

Dan looking for ducks as we finish setting decoys.	A good look at the flooded timber.
Our yellow lab Zetta getting some camera time.	The end of the afternoon hunt.  With a good bunch of widgeon, mallards, and gadwall.
A look from one of our two pit blinds on our private duck marsh.  We hunt flooded, standing corn fields as you can see in the picture.	A look inside of our pit blind.  Our blinds have plenty of room to move around and comfortably fits 5 hunters.
A limit of 30 ducks shot on the opening day of the regular duck season.  It was a mixed bag of teal, gadwall, mallards, and widgeon.	As always breakfast in the blind.....In this case after the hunt.....the shooting was too good to eat until after the limit was filled.

UPLAND BIRD HUNTING

Some hunting is very unpredictable.  However, we raise our own game birds so no matter what the wild bird population is you will be able to hunt as many game birds as you want.  We raise our own pheasants, quail, and chucker partridge. (other species may be available from time to time)  If you desire to hunt wild birds you may do so but the bird population is always unpredictable from year to year.  We do however plant Milo food plots for the pheasants and quail in our area to promote the birds to stay on our properties.  If you plan to hunt game birds check on the bird packages and prices under the link prices.  Pen raised birds are a great way to train young dogs.  We have kennels ready for your dogs to stay in. 

PREDATOR HUNTING

If calling in a coyote on a snow covered, moonlit night gets your blood pumping then Southwest Iowa Outfitters is the place for you.  We have a lot of coyotes and fox in our area.  We also are getting a good population of bobcat.  All that you need to do is bring your electronic caller or hand call and we will send you in the right direction.  Predators can be hunted day and night so you decide when you want to hunt during your stay.  **IOWA NOW HAS A BOBCAT SEASON BOBCAT HUNTING WILL NOW BE OFFERED AT SOUTHWEST IOWA OUTFITTERS**

SMALL GAME HUNTING

Not everyone is out for big game hunting.  We also offer outstanding small game hunting.  We have an abundant population of squirrel and rabbit.  You can walk the timbers or you are welcome to bring your beagles or treeing dogs.  We have kennel space ready for your dogs.  **CROW HUNTING ALSO INCLUDED IF DESIRED**

COMBINATION HUNTS

If you are out for the ultimate hunting experience then try a combo hunt.  You can hunt any combination of 2 hunts.  For example - hunt waterfowl in the morning and upland game birds in the afternoon, or hunt upland birds in the morning and rabbits and squirrels in the afternoon.  Also if you bag your deer or turkey early we will offer extra hunting opportunities during the rest of your stay.

GO TO THE CONTACT US LINK TO BOOK A HUNT OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

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